Let's Dance
by royal-lover
Summary: She looked to her husband and sighed. He did not ask her to dance. Mr. Carson just stood there looking grumpy and she could imagine why he had not asked her to dance. He would say it's improper. Improper? God, they were married. A simple dance could not be improper. She finished her wine and made a decision: she would ask him!


_**I would like to thanks chelsiesouloftheabbey for so patient beta this fanfiction and show me and teach me (still learning) my English mistakes. Thank you again!**_

 _ **This is my interpretation about only this photo ( /rrS2D). I know in the trailer is very different but I saw first the photo and immediate I began to write.**_

 **Let's Dance**

It was a happy night. The family wasn't dining at home that evening and Lady Rose had offered the use of her gramophone so that the servants could have a fun evening with music and dancing. Of course, when Anna told him about Lady Rose's idea, Mr. Carson was totally against it. It took his wife to persuade him, and even that took some minutes of arguing. He allowed it but wasn't amused, especially with Sgt. Willis in the house, asking if could talk with Mr. and Mrs. Bates. They had all gone to Mrs. Carson's sitting room and, when they got out, he could feel an uncomfortable atmosphere. Then the Sergeant had stayed for dinner, and now was dancing with Mrs. Patmore. _God._

Mr. Carson held a glass of wine as he watched the others dancing. He could not deny that the music was good and the servant were having fun, but still he wasn't comfortable with the situation. Mrs. Carson, however, loved the idea of a private party. It was good see her friends having fun. She had always loved dancing but that night she wasn't dancing at all.

She looked to her husband and sighed. He did not ask her to dance. Mr. Carson just stood there looking grumpy and she could imagine why he had not asked her to dance. He would say it's improper. _Improper?_ God, they were married. A simple dance could not be improper. She finished her wine and made a decision: _she_ would ask _him_!

Mrs. Carson got up from chair where she'd been sitting and approached her husband.

"It seems everybody is having fun. Do you not think so, Charles?"

"Yes, it seems they are, Mrs. Carson." One more thing he was not comfortable with was calling her Elsie when they were working, even if no one could hear them like now.

She sighed, looked to him and said, "Come with me."

"What?"

"Come on, Charlie. Come with me." She started walking toward his pantry. After a moment spent trying to understand what she wanted and not having success, he followed her.

When Mr. Carson entered in his pantry, Elsie closed the door behind him.

"Can you heard the music?" she asked.

"Yes, of course."

"Good, so let's dance!"

As he tried to process what she had just said, Mrs. Carson hugged him, put one hand on her back and the other in her palm, and rested her head on his chest as she slowly began swaying. Mr. Carson followed her but was still tense, and she could feel it. After a minute, she heard a sigh and his chin resting in the top of her head. He was relaxing.

"I don't understand you, Charles."

"Why not?"

"Why won't dance with me in front of the others? We are married now. It is not improper dance with your wife and let them see us."

He knew she was right. However, that uncomfortable feeling was stronger than him. They had been married just three months and, in the privacy of their room, their intimacy was growing. But when he was wearing his butler vest he still acted in front of her like Mr. Carson the butler, not Charles her husband.

Of course, this sometimes made her sad, but she was trying to give him time. For her, it had always been easy embracing new things. But for Mr. Carson, it took a while longer for him to get used to them. But having him dancing with her in that moment, in his pantry, was a small victory for Elsie.

He loved the smell of her hair, the warmth of her body. Even though he still found it hard to be comfortable with her when they were working, the private moments they had were his favorites. Three months of being married and he loved her more than he thought he ever could.

"You are aware that the music stopped?" she smiled.

He kissed her hair and this little gesture surprised Mrs. Carson. She hugged him more tightly. "You want me to stop?" he asked her.

"No, you daft man. You can continue." She laughed.

"Good, because I think I changed my mind about dancing with you in front of everyone."

He led her back to the servants' hall but the moment he was there, he froze.

Another song began and the same pairs continued to dance. Mr. Barrow still was sitting and smoking in the same place he had been before. The Bateses had disappeared; whatever Sgt. Willis told them, they need a moment alone. Miss Baxter and Mr. Molesley were dancing a little farther away from all the others, but everyone knew they were an item so that was not very surprising.

Elsie could feel Charles pondering. She looked to him and said, "So..."

He straightened his back, took a deep breath and answered, "I was just looking for a better spot for us to dance." She said nothing, but continued to look at him.

 _God, why can't I simply dance with her? Stop acting like a fool, be a man, and dance with her! She is your wife, for God's sake. Your wife!_

He took her hand and brought her to the center of the room. They began to dance, with Charles leading her around the room, trying to avoid hitting anyone. She tried to hold in her laughter, but was unsuccessful.

"What?" he asked seriously.

"Nothing..." She thought better and spoke again, "We are dancing in front of everyone and the world not end, did it?"

He smiled proudly. "No."

While dancing, neither of them stopped looking in the other's eyes and did not realize that gradually Mrs. Patmore, Sgt. Willis, Daisy, Andy, Mr. Molesley and Mrs. Baxter had stopped dancing and started watching them.

John and Anna returned to the servants' hall, seeming to have a little more confidence. The visit from the police sergeant had only been to tell them that Scotland Yard would probably be dropping the case, but he still was not sure when this could happen. They could relax a bit, but Anna was still worried. John had comforted her, saying that soon their nightmare would be over. They had returned to the hall in time to see their superiors dancing.

It was a surprise to everyone. The only intimacy they had ever seen from them, had been the timid kiss Mr. Carson gave to his bride on the day they married. After that, nothing changed. They continued to be the butler and the housekeeper of Downton Abbey. To Thomas and people of the village, it was a married of convenience. Now, Mr. Barrow sighed, a bit angry. What he had thought before was clearly not true. Mr. and Mrs. Carson clearly loved each other deeply, it was obvious just looking at them.

Not aware they were being watched, the Carsons continue dancing. They closed their eyes and Mr. Carson rested his head on hers, each feeling how good was to be in the arms of one another.

The music finished and, different to what had happened in his pantry, Charles stopped dancing. They opened their eyes and shared a big smile. Second later Elsie saw his expression change. A worrying look was on his face and she soon understood what was happening. They were the only people dancing, and all the others were watching them.

She thought the worst, imagined him running out of the room and hiding in his pantry and yelling for everyone to just get out and forget what they saw. To her astonishment, this didn't happen. Elsie saw her husband's face changing to a friendly expression. He looked to her and smiled. _Everything is fine_ , he tried say with his eyes. She understood the message, smiled back to him and said to no one in special, "I think this is the end of our party."

Everybody began to disappear from the hall. Anna and Bates went to their cottage. Daisy and Mrs. Patmore returned to the kitchen, but not before Mrs. Patmore gave a provocative smile to Sgt. Willis, who quickly said goodbye and ran back to the police station. Molesley and Baxter were the first to get out there to share a private moment. A frustrated Mr. Barrow went to upstairs to check if everything was alright and Andy followed him because he didn't know what to do. In the end, just Charles and Elsie stayed alone in the hall.

"Are you really alright?" she asked him.

"Yes, I'm fine. I enjoyed dancing with you."

"Even with everybody watching us?"

"Even with that." Charles smiled again. He was clearly happy. "I think we gave them a pretty good show, hm?"

She couldn't hold in her laugh. "Or we erased some doubts about our marriage."

Of course he was aware of the gossip about the meaning of their marriage, but soon he relaxed, held her hand and said in her ear, "Both, my darling. Both." He checked that they were alone and kissed her cheek, surprising her for the fourth time that evening.

It was sure to Elsie the day was made of delightful surprises. Smiling, she could not wait what the others would be when they got to their bedroom.

 **THE END**


End file.
